


Shattered

by PeetasAndHerondales



Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Post-Mockingjay, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 12:14:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeetasAndHerondales/pseuds/PeetasAndHerondales
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Mockingjay. Katniss and Peeta's lives after they grow back together, from their engagement to their marriage. Rating changes from T-M. Lots of fluff, romance,humor,and drama!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I know many have already written what about happened after Mockingjay, but I want to add my own little contribution of how Katniss and Peeta grew back together. I became inspired by the song "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. I think this is the ultimate Hunger Games song, and I highly recommend you guys listen to it if you haven't already. This song was never officially released, so I don't think the lyrics are copyrighted, but either way I own nothing! I'm just using this for inspiration. The lyrics will be quoted in italics. Enjoy!

" _And I've lost, who I am,_

_and I can't understand,_

_why my heart is so broken,_

_rejecting your love without,_

_love gone wrong,_

_lifeless words, carry on,_

_but I know, all I know, is that the_

_end is beginning"_

_**-Trading Yesterday "Shattered"** _

_ **Katniss** _

I don't know if I will ever love Peeta the way he loves me. I do know, however, that I wasn't lying when I admitted that my love for him was real. I love him in my own broken way. Too little, too late; it will never be enough. The boy with the bread and the girl on fire lived happily ever after. Katniss and Peeta, the star-crossed lovers of District Twelve, together forever. But our life together isn't some sort of childish Capitol fairytale. No. It is the tragic struggle of two shattered souls condemned to death who survived against all odds. And now we must pay the consequences of outliving our family and friends. We survived, but now we must live, and that turned out to be more difficult. The nightmares haunt me; the memories overwhelm him. He tries to remember he loves me; I try to remember to love him. This is easier said than done.

"What are you thinking?" Peeta asked me as we lay in bed together one night. He was holding me in his strong arms, as if protecting me from someone, something, perhaps myself, perhaps my nightmares.

"I'm thinking that Haymitch was right when he said I could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve you," I whispered softly. Peeta tensed. I looked up at his eyes to see that he had flinched; his crystal blue gaze expressing hurt.

"Don't say that," he reproached firmly. "I'm the one who was hijacked, I've hurt you more than I could ever forgive myself for," he added.

"That wasn't your fault," I pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. We've all made mistakes. I wish I had been able to protect you, but I wasn't; and you couldn't have forced yourself to love me sooner. None of those things matter anymore, the past is the past. We need to accept this and move on. All that matters is that we're finally together, and that we can rebuild our lives together. You're more than everything I need Katniss; you're all I've ever wanted," he insisted passionately.

 _Oh, Peeta._ I thought. How could I possibly respond to that? He was right, of course, but so was Haymitch. But I knew there was no way to convince him of this. At least most of his memories had come back, and he was back to his old self. We had been living together for a few months now, since everyone assumed that we were married. That, and the fact that I needed him to keep the nightmares away; I needed him so that I could stay alive. I couldn't have gone on without him. It seemed selfish of me, really, and here he was declaring his undying love for me.

"I can't live without you, Peeta," I finally replied as I held the pearl he had given me during the Quarter Quell. I brushed it to my lips as I closed my eyes and rested my head on his warm chest, his heart pounding steadily beneath my ear.

He kissed the top of my head gently. "I love you so much, Katniss," he murmured in response.

I sighed. I suddenly remembered something somebody had said to me the day before, and I decided to ask Peeta about it. "Peeta, someone asked me yesterday how we were doing and I told them we had moved in together and that you were using your house as an art gallery, but they didn't seem to believe me. I was at the Seam and they started winking and hooting and laughing, so I left. Why were they acting that way?" I inquired as I looked up at him curiously.

Peeta blushed. "I'm actually keeping my artwork in your basement," he admitted bashfully. "And I'm planning on using my house as a bakery, but I wasn't going to tell you until it was ready; I wanted it to be a surprise," he finished.

"Oh, well, that's good, I'm glad you decided to do that," I said encouragingly. Peeta loved baking, but he had spent more time painting than baking in the last few months. I suppose it was understandable that he wanted to continue his family's business.

"I still don't understand why that was funny, though," I insisted. There was something he wasn't telling me, and I could tell by the way he was averting his gaze.

"Katniss, everyone thinks we're getting ready to have children," Peeta finally replied as he exhaled nervously. It seemed to have taken a lot of effort on his part to admit that. But it all made sense now. Everyone thought we were sleeping together, and that I would eventually become pregnant with Peeta's child. It wouldn't be the first time, as far as they were concerned. And Peeta was in the process of holding a steady business. This was the only thing they were right about, because I still had no intention of having children. It was too dangerous, and, no matter what Peeta said, I doubted he would ever be able to convince me otherwise.

"I'm sorry, Peeta," I said honestly. He already knew how I felt about that; I had no need to elaborate. He took my hand tenderly and then carefully removed the pearl I had been holding. I tried to protest, but he promised he would give it back to me later.

"Let's not talk about this now," he pleaded. "We'll worry about it when the time comes. I'm just happy that we're together." He held me closer, as if he saying that it was forgotten… for now, at least. But I knew better. We were too young to become parents anyway. We weren't even really married. And it's not like Peeta and I had been together that way, or at least not yet. I hadn't even considered it, and Peeta had never mentioned it until now.

"I want to wait until we're married." He explained gently. He seemed to have read my thoughts, and I knew he wasn't just talking about having children.

"Aren't we too young for that too?" I asked carefully.

He shrugged. "I don't think it really matters how old we are, at this point. We're both adults, and we're already living together. Not to mention the fact that we've been through a lot, and we can take care of ourselves. Plus, we love each other, and that's all that really matters. Everyone already thinks we're married anyway. It's not like we're not mature enough to handle it…unless you're not ready." He added as he tipped my chin up so that my gray eyes could meet his azure ones.

I swallowed. Was he officially proposing to me? I didn't know what to think, much less what to say. "Peeta, you know I love you," I began, "but I can't even assure you that we will ever have children or that I will ever heal and be truly happy, as you deserve to be," I explained.

"We'll make it through together," he insisted. "Being with you is what makes me happy. Nothing could make me happier than being your husband," he added, although he probably wanted to add that being a father would make him happy too.

"Oh, Peeta…" I began.

"Don't worry about it now. We'll figure it out tomorrow. Get some rest," he interrupted me as he pulled up the blankets on top of us and switched off the lamp on the bedside table.

"Stay with me," I whispered.

"Always," he promised as we drifted into sleep.

_ **Peeta** _

_"Yesterday I died,_  
tomorrow's bleeding,  
fall into your sunlight"  


The next day I took Katniss' pearl to the jewelry shop while she was out hunting. "I'd like to put this on an engagement ring," I requested the salesman.

The salesman took the pearl and inspected it approvingly. "I see you're finally planning to have an official wedding," he replied cheerfully.

I grinned. "That's right, I'm going to take her out to dinner and ask for her hand as soon as the ring is ready," I said proudly.

"Good for you; you two deserve all the happiness you can get," he added more seriously. "Tell you what, son; I can get this ready for you before dinner so that she doesn't notice her pearl is missing and so that you can ask her tonight. What do you say to that?" he suggested courteously.

My heart leaped with delight. "That's great; thank you sir!" I said graciously. Katniss would be very surprised. I couldn't wait until tonight. I had to make the dinner reservations soon and make sure that everything was flawless.

That same evening I picked up the ring and went home to get ready for our dinner date. I had already told Katniss we had dinner reservations, and she grumbled about having to wear a dress for no apparent reason. I told her it was a surprise, and she finally obliged. The ring was absolutely perfect, Katniss would love it.

"Peeta, have you seen my pearl?" Katniss asked as she stood in front of her dresser while putting her hair up into an elaborate hairdo. She was wearing a vivid red dress and matching heels that she had probably gotten from the Capitol. We took turns getting dressed in the bathroom and then finished up in the bedroom.

"What do you need it for?" I asked cautiously.

"I haven't seen it lately, where did you put it?" she insisted urgently, ignoring my question.

"Don't worry about it; we'll find it later, right now we need to finish getting ready so we don't lose our reservation," I said as I adjusted my matching red tie. I was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath it. We were in our finest attire.

"All right, I'm ready," she said as she turned to me. I took a good look at her and beamed in awe. She was absolutely stunning. I told her so.

She blushed, the blood rushing up to her cheeks so that they matched her dress. "You look great too," she complimented shyly.

I smiled graciously. "Shall we?" I said gallantly as I offered my arm so that she could hold on to the crook of my elbow. She nodded, and we descended down the stairs together as I held the front door for her so that we could step outside.

When we arrived at the restaurant (there was only one good restaurant in Twelve, and it was reserved for special events such as this,) the waiter led us to our table at the corner of the restaurant, where there was an enchanting view of the forest beneath the luminous night sky. Katniss gazed longingly out the window as I pulled out her chair so that she could sit down. I knew she would like it.

"Peeta, this is so beautiful, but why are we doing this?" she asked for the umpteenth time.

I reached across the table as I took my seat and held her hand gently. "Because I love you," I replied simply.

"Oh, Peeta…" she trailed off as the waiter came to give us our menus.

"Wine?" he asked, looking at us skeptically.

"Yes, bring me your finest red wine, please," I said politely.

Katniss turned to me questioningly as the waiter set down our silverware; each was wrapped elaborately in a white cotton napkin. I had requested earlier that they hide Katniss' ring inside hers. I turned to it anxiously as the waiter took our dinner orders of steak and mashed potatoes with vegetables. We figured we might as well keep that simple. They then brought us cheese buns (which I knew were Katniss' favorite) while we waited for our plates.

"How come we didn't get breadsticks like everyone else?" Katniss asked suspiciously.

"I guess it's because we're special, seeing as we're victors and all," I replied lightly as the waiter came back to serve us our wine.

"But how did they know these were my favorite?" she argued as she took a cheese bun from the basket.

"Who knows, I guess it's a coincidence," I lied.

She studied me carefully, then, finally, as the waiter left, she replied, "There's something you're not telling me, Peeta." She knew I was on to something, and I had to act fast so that I wouldn't lose the element of surprise.

"It's our anniversary," I said quickly.

"What anniversary? I didn't even know we had one," she said, confused.

"Of course we do. We have quite a few, actually, but I wouldn't expect you to keep track of them all. Last year we supposedly got married around this time, remember?" I asked.

Katniss frowned and considered that for a second. "Well, yes, but…" she immediately stopped talking after the waiter came back with our meals.

"Here you are; anything else?" he inquired after he set them down. We both shook our heads and thanked him, and off he went to tend to another table nearby.

"Anyways, where was I?" she asked as we began to unwrap our silverware. There…she had almost found it. Then, finally, she saw it- the golden ring with her favorite pearl on top, surrounded by smaller diamonds. She picked it up and gasped in astonishment, then slowly looked up at me.

I then slid off of my chair and went to kneel beside hers. It hurt to kneel on my prosthetic leg, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. Right now, all I could think about was the fact that I was going to ask the woman I loved to marry me. Ironically enough, I had never been more terrified in my life, for my biggest fear was losing her.

"Katniss," I began as I took her left hand and gingerly placed the ring on her finger, "I promise that I will stay with you, and cherish you, all of the days of my life, and that this ring is a symbol of the immeasurable love for you that I will always have in my heart. Will you give you me the honor of becoming my wife?" I proposed as my eyes looked lovingly up at hers, and I could see that she was beginning to tear up.

"Yes," she finally gasped as the tears escaped and began to run down her cheeks. And this time, she meant it. I heard everyone around us begin to applaud, but all I could see was her, and her only, as I stood up instantly and picked her up so that I could kiss her full on the mouth.

"I love you," I declared blissfully after I set her down gently and released her from our kiss.

"I love you, too," she said honestly as she looked up at me. And that was all I needed to know. Katniss Everdeen would soon be my wife. And I would become the happiest man alive.

" _There's a light_  
there's the sun  
taking all the shattered ones  
to the place we belong  
and his love will conquer all"

_ **To be continued…** _


	2. Parties

_ **Katniss** _

No. I refused to even consider it…a bachelorette party? What was I thinking when I let Johanna be my maid of honor? I should have let Delly handle it, at least she's sane. Even Annie would have been better. It's only a month before the wedding, and they're already driving me insane…not that I had much sanity to begin with.

"Oh, come on, it will be fun!" Johanna insisted.

"No, I don't want a bachelorette party! Can't I just skip that?" I lashed out.

"No, you can't; Peeta is having a bachelor party, so it wouldn't be fair if only one of you celebrated!" she pointed out.

"Wait, what? Why would Peeta agree to have something like that?" I argued. That did not sound like Peeta at all. I wondered if he was tortured into agreeing to it. That's the tactic they seemed to be using with me.

"Well, I heard Haymitch didn't give him much choice, but aside from that, I have no idea." She replied, rolling her eyes. "Besides, that's none of my concern. My concern here is that you agree to have one too."

"Well, you can torture me all you want, but I'm not agreeing to anything, and that's that!" I yelled angrily as I slammed out of the front door and ran into the woods. They would not catch me there. And I would not have a bachelorette party. I was determined.

Or so I thought.

_ **Peeta** _

"So I heard you were having a bachelorette party. Don't worry; they made me do it too. I promise I won't enjoy it either." I consoled Katniss.

"Shut up, Peeta; I don't want your sympathy right now." She growled as she skinned a squirrel in the backyard while I watched her from the porch steps.

"Good because I'm not giving you my sympathy. I'm giving you my empathy, which is even better." I replied. She looked up and gave me the death glare, her cold gray eyes bearing into me. Her hands were full of blood. I shuddered. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

I looked away in discomfort. Today just wasn't my day. Gale had come back from District Two for the wedding at Haymitch's insistence, and he was now my best man. Neither of us was too happy about it, and the irony of it just wasn't amusing to us. Then again, I didn't have many friends to choose from. Most of them were dead. Even my brothers were gone. The only reason I was even having a bachelor party was because Haymitch needed an excuse to get drunk, and nothing I said could take that wonderful opportunity away from him. Needless to say, he just wanted someone to buy him more alcohol and was covering it up with the excuse of my bachelor party. Even Gale thought it was ridiculous.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you, Peeta. It's just that I don't like the idea of being corrupted by Johanna right before our wedding," Katniss apologized after seeing the look on my face.

"That's okay, Katniss; I understand," I smiled at her reassuringly. "Do you need any help with that?" I asked her as I eyed the dead squirrel warily.

Noticing my reaction, Katniss shook her and grinned. "No, that's fine, I'm done." She stood up and took it inside the house so that she could cook it.

I followed her inside the kitchen and heard someone knocking at the other side of the house. I walked up to the front door, answered it, and saw that it was Gale. "It's time," he said grimly before I could respond.

"What? Already? No one told me it was today!" I complained. He scowled at me with impatience and then looked up to see Katniss coming toward us. I turned around. Her hands were clean and the squirrel was gone. I was relieved.

"Hey, Catnip," Gale greeted her cheerfully.

"Hi, Gale," Katniss replied coldly as she studied him carefully. She still wasn't sure if she could forgive him after he had left her a year ago. Haymitch had invited him to the wedding and was trying to make them get along again. So far he wasn't successful, although Gale was all for receiving forgiveness. And to think I let him be my best man.

"Uh, should we go?" I asked Gale. I could feel the tension in between them getting thicker by the second. I didn't want to have to break up a fight; my day was already going downhill.

Gale turned back to me as if he had just remembered I was there. "Yeah, let's go, Dough Boy," he snorted. I looked at him with contempt as he gave Katniss one last look before walking away. Katniss only glared at him.

"I guess I'll be back late," I told Katniss as I approached her and kissed her good-bye.

She kissed me back and regarded me with concern. "Don't let them get to you," she warned me.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," I reassured her gently as I walked warily out the door.

Gale was waiting for me in the car, and I got in and sat in the front seat as he started the vehicle. I turned around and saw Rory sitting there behind us. He greeted me nervously.

"Is he old enough for this?" I asked Gale. He rolled his eyes in response.

"Mind your own business, Mellark. It's not like I'm going to let him drink," he explained, ignoring his younger brother's groans of protest upon hearing that. "Haymitch is already waiting for us at the bar, so we need to hurry."

When we arrived at the bar, we walked into a dark, crowded, smoke-filled room and found Haymitch already downing a glass of wine in front of the counter while sitting on a stool. I was surprised nobody had bothered to card us, or Rory, for that matter. This place was obviously questionable. Gale and I took seats on either side of Haymitch and ordered drinks. Gale ordered milk for his brother, who was sitting grumpily beside him.

"Finally, you took forever to get here!" Haymitch scolded us in way of greeting.

"We came here as fast as we could," Gale snapped back.

Haymitch ignored him and turned to me. "You read to party, Bread Boy?"

I swallowed. What was up with the nicknames today? And what did they have in mind for me? Did I even want to know?

"Bring the boy here a Screaming Orgasm," Haymitch ordered the bartender as he pointed to me. The bartender nodded and began preparing the drink.

I turned to Haymitch in horror. "A  _what?_ " I managed to utter.

Haymitch chuckled. "You heard me," he said as the bartender handed me a cream-colored cocktail. I picked it up and took a sip. Huh. Not bad, actually. I downed it and promptly ordered another one. Maybe this bachelor party thing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Easy there, kid. It goes down easily but you'll have a screaming headache afterwards," Haymitch warned. I turned to him in alarm. I was already on my fifth drink.

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" I reproached him angrily.

"Because he wants you to get drunk, you idiot," Gale answered for him. I glared at them both.

"Okay, that's it, I'm going home," I said as I stood up.

"Not so fast, handsome," a woman placed her hand on my chest to stop me from leaving. I looked at her and noticed that she was barely dressed. She had dark hair and gray eyes like Katniss. But Katniss was prettier, of course. Wait…who  _was_ this woman and why was she touching me? I glared at her removed her hand from my chest. My head was already starting to hurt.

"Sorry, but I have to get home to my fiancée," I said curtly.

The woman smiled suggestively. "Yes, they told me you were the groom. And that you were a  _baker_ ," she said the last word as if it were an extremely sexual trait. "Worry not, darling, I'll take good care of you," she whispered in my ear. I gulped. She had pushed me down on a chair opposite the bar. I was starting to feel dizzy and wasn't sure if I could get back up. What was in that drink?

I looked up to see Haymitch, Gale, and Rory watching me with amused looks on each of their faces. Provocative music began to play in the background. Suddenly, I noticed that _everyone_ was watching me. Before I realized what was happening, the woman began to lap dance me.

"Whoa, wait a minute," I began to protest as I tried to push her away.

"Shh, just accept it," she placed her fingertip upon my lips as she shoved her breasts in front of me. I heard men hooting and wolf-whistling in the background. I suddenly began to feel sick.

"Please get off me," I tried to push her away again, and, this time, I even managed to get up. But not before nausea overtook me and I bent down to empty the contents of my stomach…right on top of the woman's ridiculously high heels. She shrieked in disgust as my stomach heaved and I continued to vomit. Well, so much for releasing my Screaming Orgasms…not like that, of course.

"Here, come with me," I heard Haymitch say gruffly as he and Gale held on to either side of me. Needless to say, we got kicked out of the bar. Not that I ever wanted to go back.

_ **Katniss** _

I looked out the window as I watched them leave. Poor Peeta…I didn't even want to know what Haymitch had planned for him. Suddenly, I saw another car approaching. My stomach turned. It was Johanna's. It was my turn. I opened the door before she even had the chance to knock.

"Don't even think about it!" I warned her.

Johanna sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes. "Too late, Brainless, I already invited everyone over."

"Wait,  _what?_  We're having it  _here_ , in my  _house_?" I exclaimed in disbelief as she stepped inside the house. Sure enough, I looked outside to see that other cars were approaching. Delly was already getting out of her car, and she was taking out supplies. This couldn't be good. I turned to Johanna in horror.

"Of course we are! The men are gone, so we have to take advantage of this opportunity while we can!" she explained impatiently. "Now come on, let's go help Delly get the bottles of wine out of her car. Everyone else is bringing food."

Soon, I my house was full of giddy women congratulating me and bringing me gifts as they whispered things behind my back about a certain "surprise." Oh, I didn't even want to know. Johanna was crazy; she had even invited my mother, and she was looking around disapprovingly. Greasy Sae looked excited, though. Maybe I should be afraid.

"Wait until you see what Johanna has prepared for you!" Fulvia gushed. Oh, no. Now I was definitely worried.

"What's wrong?" Johanna asked me innocently. I scowled at her.

"Whatever it is you have mind, I am not going to participate in it," I informed her firmly.

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? Is that so? Don't worry, Katniss. You won't have to do anything… except watch, of course." She smiled evilly.

Just then I heard a knock at the door, and Johanna rushed up to answer it as everyone else turned towards it eagerly. Johanna opened the door as I walked up behind her to see who it was. It was a cake…a giant white wedding cake, and nothing else. Had Peeta sent this? Surely he knew nothing of this? If he did, I would kill him. Worse, I wouldn't marry him…no. Peeta would never do this to me.

"What is the meaning of this?" I inquired suspiciously as Johanna rolled in the giant wedding cake. I heard women around me giggling anxiously. This wasn't just a wedding cake; of that much I was sure.

"Oh, it's just a little surprise I put together for you," Johanna said reassuringly as she made me sit in front of the giant cake. The tension in the room was about to explode with anticipation. I wasn't reassured at all.

Somewhere from behind me, somebody had turned up the music. I then noticed that the cake had begun to move. My eyes widened in disbelief. This couldn't be…suddenly, a shirtless man popped out of the cake and I cried in surprise as everyone else cheered.

The cake was fake…I was dismayed. But before I could protest, the man turned to me and winked as he stepped out of the cake. He was wearing nothing but extremely tight black briefs, and he had blonde hair and blue eyes like Peeta. No…I could not compare this stranger to Peeta. This man was just creepy. And he wasn't wearing clothes. I didn't know which was worse.

Johanna pushed the cake aside as he stood in the middle of the room and began to dance provocatively in front of me. He thrust his hips as women around me approached him and tried to stroke his muscular chest. I took that opportunity to get out of the way while everyone else was distracted. I needed to get out of here, and fast. Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door, and I ran up to answer it while everyone else was drooling over the stripper…not literally, of course.

I opened the door to see that it was Haymitch, Peeta, Gale and Rory; none of them looked very happy, and Peeta was barely conscious. Haymitch and Gale were holding him up. I gasped. "Peeta!" I helped them lead him inside the crowded house as he mumbled under his breath. He smelled awful.

I looked up at Haymitch angrily. "What have you done to him?" I yelled.

"What's goin' on," I heard Peeta mumble as he noticed the stripper dancing with the women in the middle of the living room. Johanna seemed to be enjoying herself a little too much. My mother ran up to us and examined Peeta.

"He's just intoxicated, take him upstairs," she ordered.

"We were just having a little fun," Haymitch protested. I slapped him and took his place while Gale and I dragged Peeta upstairs. No way was I letting Haymitch near Peeta again.

"It seems that you were having fun too, Sweetheart!" Haymitch retaliated. I looked back at him. He had a smug look on his scruffy face. I scowled at him, wishing that looks could kill….

_ **Peeta** _

I woke up with the worst headache. My head felt like it was about to explode, I felt it thrum and pound violently beneath my skull. I opened to my eyes to see that it was dawn, and Katniss was sleeping soundly beside me.

"What happened?" I mumbled to myself. And then I remembered. The Screaming Orgasms, the female stripper at the bar, and finally, the male stripper at our house.

Wait a minute.

I turned to Katniss and noticed that she had begun to stir. I sat up as she opened her eyes and looked up at me. "How are you feeling?" was the first thing she asked.

"Like crap. What was going on in here? What did they have planned for you and that stripper, Katniss?" I asked suspiciously. I couldn't help it. I felt slightly jealous, and I wasn't sure why.

Katniss grimaced. "He popped out of a giant wedding cake and started dancing. After that, everyone started touching him, so I tried to escape, and that's when you came back. What happened to you? What did Haymitch give you?" she asked worriedly.

I sighed. I wasn't sure how much I should tell her, but she had been honest with me, so I figured I should be too. "Well, we went to a bar, and Haymitch ordered a cocktail called Screaming Orgasm for me." Katniss eyed me skeptically. "Yeah, I know, it sounds bad, but it was actually pretty good, and before I knew it, I had one too many and ended up drunk. Then some stripper came up to me and started lap dancing me and-"

"She did  _what?_ " Katniss interrupted, outraged.

"You heard me. I was drunk, and I couldn't get up; so it took me a while to get her off of me, but when I finally did, I ended up puking on her." I admitted.

Katniss stared at me for the longest time as I waited for her to react. Then, out of nowhere, we both burst out laughing. I stopped sooner than I wanted to, though, because it made my head hurt even more.

"You….puked…on…her," Katniss gasped between hysterics.

I grinned. "Yeah, I did. Hey, can you hand me a pill? My head is about to burst."

She turned serious then and served me a glass of water from the pitcher on our bedside table as she handed me a painkiller. "What did that woman look like?" she asked unexpectedly.

I frowned. "She had dark hair and gray eyes like you. But she wasn't nearly as pretty, of course, and she was nothing like you. I think Haymitch was trying to confuse me or something, but I wasn't  _that_ drunk." I considered that for a second, and then added, "Wasn't that male stripper a blonde?"

"Yes, but he was scary. Not only did he come out of cake and wink at me, but he danced in his underwear in my living room. I'm sure everyone else enjoyed it, though…especially Johanna." she replied distastefully.

I laughed, despite myself. And here I was worrying that they would try to find her a more handsome groom. I should have known better. Katniss did not like being corrupted. I kissed the top of her head gently as I put my glass away. She hugged me, and I held her, my arms wrapping warmly around her as she rested her head on my chest.

 

"You know, it's not like you've never seen a half-naked man before, Katniss. And besides, you and I won't always be able to remain fully dressed," I teased.

Katniss looked up at me and blushed. "Yes, well that'll be different. You and I will be married and it'll be perfectly acceptable. Besides, I trust you," she answered calmly.

"Oh? You  _trust_ me? Is that all?" I asked, pretending to sound wounded.

She smiled and reached up to kiss my lips. "You know what I mean."

"Actually, I'm not sure, maybe you could show me. Did I ever tell you that I love you?" I insisted.

"No, I don't think you did. And I can't show you until we're married," she joked.

"Well, I'm crazy about you," I said. She laughed as we continued to kiss until the sun was up and the morning light filled the sky.


	3. Promises

_ **Katniss** _

Today was the day I was going to marry Peeta Mellark. I was going to become his wife, and this time, it was real. There would be no pretending, no Hunger Games, no death threats. This time, I was sure that I loved him, and that I wanted to do it. I don't remember ever being this happy, and I wished now more than ever that my father were with me to give me away. I knew he would have approved of Peeta, and I knew they would have gotten along well.

"Don't cry, Katniss, it'll ruin your mascara!" Octavia scolded me as she did my makeup and Venia did my nails while Flavius worked on my hair. They had just finished waxing every single inch of my body. Yes, my prep team was back, and they were just as preppy and artificial as ever, but nonetheless, I was grateful for their help. They had insisted on it as soon as I had invited them to the wedding. Not that I had had anyone else in mind.

"Sorry, I just can't believe I'm getting married," I replied. I was in shock. I never expected this day to actually come. I never planned to get married, and I never planned to have children, but here I was, getting ready to do one of those things. I was still unconvinced about having children, though.

"Yes, we know, you must be really excited! You're finally getting married, and you're not being forced to do it this time. And neither of you are going to die soon!" said Venia cheerfully.

"Yes, that's definitely a plus!" agreed Flavius enthusiastically as he yanked on my hair.

I tried not to take those things to heart, but I knew they were right. Peeta and I had never had the odds in our favor, at least not until now. I wished, not for the first time, that Cinna were here too. He would have designed me another wedding dress, one that wouldn't burst into flames. I wondered what Peeta's prep team was doing to him. Surely he wouldn't need as much work.

"We have a surprise for you," Octavia said as she finished up and Venia did the finishing touches on my nails, standing up to look for my jewelry. Octavia straightened up and walked out of the room, saying that she needed to go get something.

Soon, she came back carrying a long white garment bag. I frowned, wondering what she was up to. "This is your wedding dress," she informed as she unzipped the bag. They had told me that they wanted to be in charge of getting my wedding dress as well, and I was happy to oblige, since I knew nothing about fashion anyway.

But when I saw the dress, I gasped in disbelief. "No, it can't be…" I whispered. And yet, there it was. I recognized the style, the stitching. Just like I recognized the intricate strokes on Peeta's paintings and wedding cakes, I knew, with all of my heart, that Cinna had made this. He had designed me a new wedding dress.

"He knew you and Peeta would end up together someday, so he made this for you after he finished your first wedding dress, in hopes that you would use it when the time came," Octavia explained.

Cinna, once again, had been one step ahead of me. I couldn't help it. Despite Venia's protests, I began to cry.

_ **Peeta** _

I was almost ready. I couldn't wait to see her. Katniss Everdeen, my future wife. She would soon become Katniss Mellark, and when I kissed her good morning every day, I would be able to tell her that. She would be mine, mine to love every single day. This was by far the happiest day of my life.

"Stay still, Peeta," Portia chastised me as she adjusted my tie. I hadn't realized I'd been fidgeting with excitement, but now I realized that I could barely contain it. I was extremely nervous, and I couldn't be more ecstatic if I tried.

"Sorry, Portia," I mumbled anxiously as I took a deep breath.

"Here, drink some wine, it'll calm you down," Haymitch tried to hand me his flask, but I shook my head no. Now was not the time to start drinking, there would be plenty of time to do that at the reception. Although, on second thought….oh what the heck. I grabbed the flask and took a quick swig as Portia finished up.

"Atta boy," Haymitch chuckled as I gave it back to him. Portia frowned at us in disapproval.

"Well, you're all set to go, Peeta. Just don't get drunk before the ceremony. You look very handsome," she said as she led me in front of the full-length mirror. I took a good look at myself and grinned. I was wearing a black tuxedo with a white dress shirt and a black vest and tie underneath the jacket. My blonde hair was combed back neatly with hair gel. My bright blue eyes shined with delight at the thought of finally having my bride by my side. I was definitely ready.

"We better get going, then," I said cheerfully. "I don't want to get there after the bride!"

"Oh, trust me, that's not possible," Haymitch assured me.

"He's right, she'll need more time to get ready, but we still need to get going," Portia said.

I nodded in agreement and off we went. We left Haymitch's house, where I'd been getting ready, and headed towards the back, behind Victor's Village. There, they had set up a beautiful garden, where all of the guests were sitting in endless rows of decorated white chairs. As we walked through the stone path, I saw Haymitch turn back towards Katniss' house while Portia took a seat in the front row. I stood below the flowered arch in front of the roaring water fountain behind it, a Mockingjay rising dramatically out of the water, and waited.

_ **Katniss** _

I emerged from the glass French doors, my lace veil trailing behind me as I walked on the masonry stone path, Haymitch holding on to my left arm as we walked down the aisle. Primrose bushes aligned the doors as I exhaled the sweet summer air and a butterfly grazed casually down my cheek. Rows of white chairs sat on both sides of the path with bouquets of flowers tied to the back. I began my walk and took in all of my friends, family, and the beautiful garden that surrounded them all. It was full of oak trees and flowers by the dozen: tulips, roses, daffodils, dandelions, and more. At the end of the path awaited Peeta under a white arch full of flowers…dandelion flowers.

I gasped as I took in the glorious sight of him, his beautiful shining blue eyes looking at me with such profound love and admiration that it made me dizzy with wonder. Suddenly, I saw Gale leaving his side as he walked towards me with a sense of purpose and determination radiating from his posture. As he approached Haymitch and me, he leaned in to whisper in Haymitch's ear, and in turn he nodded in agreement and released my arm, allowing Gale to take his place as he took a seat. Gale looked at me steadily and took my left arm. I looked up at him in surprise.

"May I?" he asked cautiously, nodding towards what was left of the aisle. I thought about this for a second, and then I agreed. After all, Gale had been like an older brother to me for a long time after we had both lost our fathers, and now he was recognizing that I belonged to another man. I couldn't allow for him to lose this opportunity to make things up to me; I had finally forgiven him.

People stared at us and whispered to each other as we approached the altar. I caught a glance of my mother, who smiled at me encouragingly, nodding to Gale approvingly. Then, finally, we were there. Gale let go of my arm as Peeta took my hand and I bounded up the steps beside him. Gale took his other side and I heard Peeta turn to him and say, "Thanks, man," before turning back to me and smiling. "You look absolutely enchanting," he told me as he pulled up my veil. I blushed, and the judge cleared his throat, regaining everybody's attention as we turned to him attentively.

"Welcome, family and friends," he began. "Today we are to here to honor the union of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. On this day they will become one and live in unity and peace. They will be each other's pillar and give strength to the foundation that is their love, promise, and commitment. Peeta Mellark, please repeat after me: 'I promise to love and cherish Katniss Everdeen for eternity. I will stand by her through sickness and health, happiness and sorrow, attainment and struggle, as long as we both shall live. This I promise and my vow shall not be broken. I accept you as my wife and promise to stand by you always.' Katniss Everdeen, now you will repeat." I repeated the same phrase that Peeta had said, and after that, we exchanged rings as he slid my golden wedding band underneath my engagement ring, so that it would be closer to my heart. I did the same thing for him, and the judge resumed his speech. "Now you have been united under the law of District Twelve as Mr. and Mrs. Mellark. Our nation welcomes you with welcome arms and wishes you both complete and utter happiness. Peeta, you may kiss the bride!"

_ **Peeta** _

Finally! The phrase I had been waiting for nearly all of my life. I turned to her, my beautiful and brave Katniss, and leaned in to kiss her perched lips passionately, my hands holding on to either side of her face as she pulled me in closer. Everyone cheered as we continued to kiss like we never had before, as husband and wife. Nothing would ever be the same again, because now, we were united forever.

I was so overjoyed, filled with such immense happiness that I struggled to not tear up. But I was a man and real men do not cry. Besides, Katniss would never let me hear the end of it. It was just so amazing to think that after all that we had been through: poverty, humiliation, murder, heartache, loss, and war, we had somehow come together and achieved a happiness I had not thought possible. Looking down at my beautiful wife, I made my own promise to myself- that there was nothing in this world or any other that would take her away from me. I would always fight for her and she would be mine, mine forever.

_ **Katniss** _

After the cheers from the crowd stopped, Peeta took my hand and we began our descent back down the aisle. As we walked past all the familiar faces I just hoped that no one could see the tears falling down my cheeks. I had sworn I would not cry, but this was a battle I could not win. Just looking at Peeta, seeing him so happy and knowing what a great future awaited us brought me to tears. For once in my life I would be happy and I swore to myself there and then that no one would take that away from me, from us.

No one would take Peeta away from me again, ever. I would not lose the boy with the bread.

Soon, it was time for the reception to begin as everyone rearranged the chairs and moved in the tables. Night was descending upon us, and the band began to play the District Twelve folk songs that were often played in weddings. Everyone began to dance and clap in a large circle to the beat of the music. I was sitting on the main table with Johanna and Gale, suddenly noting that Peeta was not sitting there beside me. I looked around and finally caught sight of him: he was rolling in our wedding cake (and this time it was a real one) towards our table. He grinned at me proudly as I took in the sight of it: its intricate and elaborate strokes painted a picture of dandelions and Mockingjays mixed in with green leaves around the edges. Then, at the very top were two figures of a groom and a bride, but the bride held a bow and the groom was holding a rolling pin. I laughed as Peeta turned to me and winked. He never ceased to amaze me.

"May I have this dance?" he asked gallantly as I stood up and gave him my consent. We went around the cake as we headed towards the dance floor. Johanna and Gale followed us and began to dance as well. We danced the whole night long, but we were often interrupted by our family and friends; I ended up dancing with nearly every male at the party, and Peeta danced with all the women. Haymitch danced with Greasy Sae. Peeta thought they made a cute couple, but of course I just laughed and didn't tell them that.

Our wonderful wedding ended all too soon, and even the exquisite cake that Peeta had baked for our wedding had disappeared. Hand in hand we walked down the spiral staircase and out the door where our family and friends awaited. A sleek black limousine was parked at the end of the drive and as we walked toward it rice and flowers were thrown at us. I laughed as someone threw a bosco stick at Peeta's head. The driver opened up the door for us and just as I was about to slide in, I thought to myself, "this is it, your future begins now."

The driver turned on the engine as we waved our goodbyes and headed towards the train station. Soon, we were there and he helped us load our suitcases into our compartments before he left. Just as we went inside our assigned room, I realized that I had no idea where we were going, for Peeta had insisted that it had to be a surprise. Not only that, but I was about to spend my wedding night in a train with Peeta….the reflection brought in a rush of bittersweet memories from our past, and I couldn't help but stand there in shock.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Peeta asked, concerned.

"Nothing, it's just that…don't you remember?" was all I could say.

Peeta looked at me and said, "Yes, I do remember…but don't worry. We can wait until we get there, we don't have to do it here. We can just rest for tonight." He suggested.

I shook my head. "No, Peeta…I think this is how it is meant to be. I don't care about the place, I care about the situation, and right now it's our wedding night. We left things unfinished then. All I care about right now is that you're here with me, and that we can finally be together."

Peeta considered this for a second. "All right then, if that's how you want it to be. We'll enjoy our wedding night here, and we'll continue our honeymoon when we get there. Although our destination is definitely worth the wait…are you sure about this?"

I nodded.

He grinned. "It's going to be a bumpy ride," he warned me as he loosened his tie.

And so it began.


	4. Perfect

_ **Katniss** _

"Peeta, will you help me unzip my dress?" I asked him as we rode on the train in our private compartment.

"Of course, sweetheart," he said after he had ridden himself of his jacket and tie. He approached me for behind and pulled down the zipper on the back of my dress. I thanked him and then went to the bathroom to put on a revealing nightgown that Johanna had given me at my bachelorette party. I didn't want to ruin the surprise.

A few minutes later, I came back out into our bedroom wearing the lingerie. Peeta was sitting there on our bed, holding a bottle of champagne and serving it in a glass. He looked up at me and nearly dropped them as his jaw fell in awe. He was only wearing his boxers. I grinned.

"How do I look?" I asked innocently.

"You-you look amazing!" he stuttered in surprise. "I mean, you always do, but…well, this is…I can't wait for this, Katniss." He looked genuinely excited.

I blushed, and then approached him as I sat beside him on the bed and took the glass from his hand. I took a sip as he served another one for himself. "You know, you don't have to seduce me, I'm already losing it for you," he teased.

I laughed. "Relax, Peeta. I'm not trying to seduce you. It comes naturally, believe me," I joked.

He chuckled. "Do you like the champagne? I figured it would help us get in the mood, you know?" he added nervously.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I'm a bit nervous too. I've never done this before. Have you?" I asked curiously.

He shook his head. "No, but I've heard a lot about it from my older brothers, they liked to boast about their romantic adventures and tended to get too much into detail." He explained, and then shuddered.

"Well, they said all sorts of filthy things at the Seam and at school, so I never put much interest in it. I never even thought that I would get married, much less fall in love. Besides, if I hadn't known how to hunt, I would have ended up selling my body to the Peacekeepers like those other girls at the Seam did." I confessed, and then shuddered at that thought, too.

Peeta's eyes widened in shock at the brutal honesty of my words, but soon regained his composure and set his mouth on a firm line. "Now you listen to me, Katniss Mellark- and yes I said Mellark- you may not have known this, or realized it, but the moment that I lay eyes on you I promised myself that you would be mine someday. And as I got older, I told myself that even if I could only love you from afar, I couldn't let anything like that happen to you, do you understand? That would have never happened. I would have figured out a way to keep you safe. Even if I would have had to risk my life for you," he said, determined.

"Well, I'm yours now, Peeta," I whispered in response.

Peeta calmed down, and his muscles relaxed. "Yes, I know. I didn't think this moment would happen either for the longest time, but I tried to keep up hope, even though no one believed we would end up getting married. But they were wrong, because here we are," he murmured as his intense blue gaze bore into me with desire.

"You waited for me all of this time," I suddenly realized. He nodded. The revelation caught at my throat. Peeta had had more faith in us than I could have ever imagined. He made our love seem pure and chaste, untouched by war and hate. And perhaps it was.

"Show me how to love like this, Peeta," I asked him. "I don't know how to do this," I pleaded helplessly.

He then inched closer to me and cupped my face with his hand. "Oh, Katniss…"he began as we put our glasses of champagne aside and wrapped our arms around each other. "You love more intensely than anyone else I have ever known. And that includes myself," he said gently. I began to protest, but, he interrupted me before I could utter anything out. "No, listen to me. Everything you did-everything you have ever done up to this point- has been for love. The Hunger Games, the rebellion, even Coin's assassination- you did all of this because you loved Prim, and because you have an immense amount of compassion for humanity. You thought that it was all for survival, but that was your second priority. Your first has always been love; love for your family, for life, for humanity and compassion for others, and now even for me. I may have been the one that said that I wanted to keep my humanity from the very beginning, and I may have been the one that first declared that I was in love. But I lost both of those things for some time, and I failed. You were the one that kept all of it despite everything. You  _do_ know how to love, you just don't realize how much. And now you have even decided to move on, and live, and love, with me," he finished softly yet ardently.

I gulped. I didn't even know what to say to that. I had never been good with words, but perhaps this was because I had never been good at knowing how I felt either. Tears threatened to escape from my eyes after hearing his beautiful words, but now I knew. I didn't want to cry right now, because he was right. I  _did_ know how to love, and right now, I loved him with all of my heart. "Make love to me, Peeta," I whispered. "Make me yours once and for all. I'll show you just how much I can love." Where had  _that_  come from?

"You don't need to prove to me what I already know, love. You are my beloved wife now. My Katniss, my sweetheart." He smiled. "But I will do as you wish, because I want this too. You don't know how long I've wanted this, but it was definitely worth the wait," he said.

And with that, he lay me down on the bed, and before I knew it, the lights were off, and the only one available was the moonlight coming in through the window, which Peeta liked to keep open. It was a warm summer night, and all I could hear were the wheels of the train speeding through the tracks and our own soft breaths.

_ **Peeta** _

It was the perfect night, and I began it with a passionate kiss to her tender lips. I lay on top of her with my arms on either side of her, so as to lean my weight on the bed instead of on her. My tongue found hers and teased it as her hands explored my chest. I then allowed one of my hands to roam her body, and I soon found myself getting lost in her as my palm went up her thigh and pushed up her nightgown. She jerked and moaned softly, and I relished the sound escaping from her lips. She wanted me as much as I wanted her, and I could tell. I then decided to pull her nightgown all the way up over her head, and as soon as I did this I came to discover her beautiful bare breasts. I tossed the cloth aside and my mouth instantly came in contact with them as my hands explored them.

"Oh, Peeta," she groaned as I nipped the pointed valleys of her chest, thoroughly kissing and teasing every single part of it, like an enthusiastic explorer discovering a new, picturesque land filled with wonderful and endless delights. I just couldn't get enough of her. It was a scenic view, and they were so soft and exquisite, and yet I thought of this as her nipples hardened out of sheer desire for me.

"Oh, please, don't stop!" she exclaimed as my lips begin to descend to other parts of her body. She smelled wonderful, like spring flowers and meadows; she was a breath of fresh air. I then remembered that I had brought fruit for us, and I stopped what I was doing briefly so that I could grab a strawberry from a bowl of fresh fruit waiting on the bedside table.

"What are you doing?" she suddenly managed to ask.

I winked at her as I took a slow, purposeful bite out of it and then ran the fruit through her bare skin, so that I could lick its juice from it. I then began a new quest as I searched her body for scars, and made sure to love those parts even more. I would caress them gently with my rough fingers, and then I would memorize how they felt and where they were, so that I could come back to them later. I would find a rough patch on her shoulder, and I would cover it with the strawberry's juice as I sucked and kissed every inch of her healing skin. In response, she would moan and sigh as I tried hard to memorize every part of her body. I would have the chance to love it so many more times, and it was a territory that I needed to become familiar with. I soon had a trail in mind, one that led from one lovely scar to another, and stopped at magnificent places in her body.

She did the same for me. She had noted how I had found every single one of her scars, and came to love them all. So then she would run her fingers through my hair, and lead them down to the scars on my shoulders, chest, abdomen, and legs. When she came to my prosthetic leg, she asked me if she could touch it, and I vaguely nodded, not knowing what she was up to. She then placed it closer to our skin, so that the coolness of it relieved us of our ever-mounting heat, and kissed every scar, running her own strawberry through my hot flesh, and licking it off exquisitely. I then asked her if I could touch her, and that's when she gasped in panic.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of you. You trust me, real or not real?" I asked her.

"Real," she said softly.

_ **Katniss** _

His touch was electrifying; I felt like I was on fire. I was the girl on fire, and he was the boy with the bread, kneading me with his hands. I was coming undone.

"Spread your feet a little more, Katniss," he told me. His voice was so ragged.

My legs trembled, but I did as I was told. We felt the train jump a little, and it reminded me of where we were, and of the fact that I had been the one to request this. He was only making sure that we went through it. Just then, I felt his finger slide inside me, then two, and I gasped as his azure eyes darkened with lust. And then, I felt his fingers move, and the pit of my stomach began to burn. I cried out, but tried to keep my gaze steady with his. They were so blue, those sapphire gems that were his eyes. So dark and cool, yet clear like water. It was as if they were trying to quench the fire that was building in our cavernous depths. He was discovering places I never knew I had.

"Do you like this?" he asked hoarsely. I could already see sweat dripping down his from his hair; and I could feel mine start to trail down my forehead. The heat that was rising in between us was becoming more and more intense by the second.

"Yes," I croaked out. "Can I touch you next?" I inquired from somewhere deep within my euphoria. If he kept touching me this way, I would soon lose what was left of my sanity, and, unfortunately, there hadn't been much to begin with.

To my surprise, I heard a low rumble of a chuckle elicit from his throat. "Not yet, sweetheart," he murmured. And then his fingers released me, and, just as I was about to protest, his lips were kissing me where his hands had been. I had an intake of breath, and then, as I felt his tongue dart in, I yelped in surprise as my hips buckled involuntarily.

"Oh, Peeta," I moaned for what must be the umpteenth time that night. I held on to his curls for dear life as I felt his tongue stroke my clit, and I could no longer see anything; everything was dark, and all I could remember were his mischievous cobalt eyes looking up at me to witness my reaction.

_ **Peeta** _

" _My_ turn," she finally managed to say as she led me away from her hips and into her lips. I held a grape in between my teeth as we began to kiss, her mouth possessing the other half of the fruit. It was then that I felt her stroke me, her hand grasping me so confidently, that it made me wonder how she had acquired this skill. An animalistic growl escaped from my throat, so low and primitive that it took me a second to realize that it had come from me. She had no idea what she was doing to me; she was releasing a side of me that I usually kept in chains. It was then that I noticed that she had been simply experimenting with me as she tried to become familiar with my erection. This meant that she was probably just naturally good at this, and that I was more than ready to enter her.

"Katniss…" I groaned desperately. I needed her  _now._ Before it was too late and I made a fool of myself, that is.

"You're so hard and silky, Peeta," she whispered as her fingertip met the tip of my length. I nearly convulsed.

"And you're warm and wet and ready for me," I replied as I touched her to make sure that it was true. It was. She sighed, and, as she let go of me, I held her arms over her head and seized her hands in mine as I slowly entered her uncharted waters.

I soon felt things breaking and tearing, and I winced as I checked her face, wondering if she was in pain. To my surprise and relief, she showed no signs of distress, but even then, it was hard to tell. I tried to be gentle, so I stopped moving until she told me that it was fine. "Let go of my hands, Peeta," she told me.

So I did. Soon, those hands were clutching my chest, stroking my nipples, and scratching my back as we moved in sync. Her hips were perfectly aligned with mine, and I moved confidently inside her, making each thrust even more intense than the last as I held her legs over my shoulders. We panted breathlessly and kissed fervently, not wanting this perfect moment to end. I had been waiting for this moment all of my life, and I wanted to be lost in this merciless sea of ecstasy forever.

_ **Katniss** _

I had never felt so alive. He was mine, and I was his, and the train jumped and swayed as he rode on top of me. He hadn't been kidding when he had said that it would be a jumpy ride. I stifled a laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked breathlessly, his eyebrow quirked in suspicion.

"Oh, nothing," I assured him as I gave him another kiss. We were starting to reach our breaking point, and the place where we were united was about to burst into flames. He gave me one last, deep, thrust, and I cried out his name as he collapsed on top of me. We lay there, exhausted, as I kissed his ear and trailed my lips down to his neck, then his shoulder, then finally, back up on to the top of his head. He then took my hands and suckled my fingertips, and then did the same to my breasts. Eventually, we fell asleep, our bodies tangled in each other.

The next morning we had arrived to our destination. We got ready, put on our clothes, and left the train after having a rather eventful breakfast in our room and picking up our luggage. As soon as we were outside, I noticed it. The ocean, the sand, and the palms swaying in the breeze could only mean one thing…we were in district four.


	5. Pretend

_ **Katniss** _

"Oh, Peeta, this place is beautiful!" I exclaimed in awe as I took in my surroundings. I hadn't been here since the Victory Tour after the first Hunger Games, and that experience had been anything but pleasant.

"Isn't it? Annie was the one who suggested we come. She wants us to go visit her now that she's had her baby," Peeta explained.

I turned around and looked at him in surprise as we walked out of the train station. "Annie had her baby already? You didn't tell me that! Where are we going to stay?" I asked him accusingly.

"Well, I figured we could stay in a hotel, since Annie must have her hands full and probably doesn't really need guests to stay at her house right now. But we're still going to go see her so that she knows we're here and want to meet baby Finn," Peeta said as we boarded a taxi and asked the driver to take us to the hotel.

"I wonder if she has anyone to help her with the baby. Maybe we can help her a little while we're there," I added thoughtfully.

"I heard her mother is staying with her, so that's a yes. But you're right; we'll try and help her as much as we can while we're there. It must be difficult for her having to raise her son all by herself," Peeta said grimly.

We didn't say anything after that. We knew this place was where Finnick and Annie had grown up, and now Finnick was gone, dead before his was able to meet his own son, and all because of the Capitol. President Snow may be dead, but not before he had caused us all irreparable damage. Perhaps this nightmare would never end. Perhaps all we could do was pretend that it was over. As I pondered this, the cab stopped in front of a large and fancy cream-colored building that I figured must be the hotel. We paid the driver and took out our luggage as a doorman led us inside the building.

"Here we are," Peeta announced as a bellboy took our luggage while we checked in. As soon as we had our room key, we headed towards the elevator. We walked across the red-carpeted lobby with golden chandeliers, receiving odd stares from the guests sitting on expensive couches.

"Do you think they recognize us?" I whispered to Peeta as he pushed the button on the elevator that would take us to the twelfth floor.

"Of course they do. I'm sorry, Katniss, I hadn't considered this. I just hope they don't bring any camera crews in," he replied worriedly.

"What? You mean to say that we could have just stayed at home and received more privacy there?" I asked incredulously. I couldn't believe it. I felt like our honeymoon had been ruined before it had even begun.

"I don't know, Katniss. Let's give it some time, okay? If they follow us around, we'll leave. I told the clerk at the front desk that we don't want to be bothered, though," he assured me.

I rolled my eyes. Like  _that_ would help. They were probably watching us already, and taking pictures for a special report on the Star-Crossed lovers of District Twelve having fun on their honeymoon. But we couldn't leave yet, we had to go see Annie and meet her baby. So, in the meantime, we were stuck here. I knew Peeta would want to take full advantage of this opportunity, and I couldn't deny him this. The elevator doors parted open as we slid out and headed towards our room, where our luggage was waiting outside our door. Peeta opened the door with the key and we walked in.

I gasped. This wasn't a room. Peeta had rented a whole  _suite._ It was richly decorated with furniture worthy of Effie's taste, and at the far wall was a large floor-to-ceiling window allowing a gorgeous view of the ocean. I approached it and was rewarded with a closer view of the calm waves spreading through the sea and teasing the shore, like fingers leaving a mark on the sun-skinned-colored sand. Puffy white clouds floated above on the bright azure sky. It seemed endless; I wasn't sure which went farther-the vast ocean or the ever-present sky. I wondered what a sunset would look like here; even though I had been here before, we hadn't had time to visit the beach or appreciate our surroundings.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Peeta murmured as he snuck up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist and rest his chin on my shoulder. He planted a soft kiss on my neck.

"Absolutely," I breathed in response.

"Come on, we better get going. What do you want to do first?" he asked me. "Do you want to go to the beach?"

"No, not yet, I want to wait until sunset. Let's go visit Annie," I suggested.

"All right, let's go, we'll have to take another taxi," he said.

I nodded, and off we went. When we arrived back at the lobby, I expected to see cameras following us, but it was emptier now. I found this slightly suspicious, and I told Peeta this. He shrugged. "Maybe they agreed to leave us alone," he suggested.

I doubted this, but didn't say so. We took another taxi and headed towards Annie's house. Her house was on the outskirts of the city, near the shore. There was more privacy here, but not much. I soon realized that this was District Four's Victor's Village. Each mansion was separated by a few miles, all of them dotting the shore. They had the best view in the land. We soon arrived at her house, which looked somewhat familiar to ours, except the windows were larger and two outside porches surrounded both floors of the house. We got out of the taxi and Peeta knocked on the front door. We were soon greeted by an older woman.

"Hello, I'm Mrs. Cresta, you must be here to see Annie," she said as she took us in. She smiled at us as she shook our hands. Her hands were thin and frail, her face creased with worry and her dark hair graying with age. But aside from that, she looked exactly like Annie. The resemblance was astonishing. She led us inside the house, and told us to make ourselves at home as we sat in the living room and she headed to the kitchen to get us drinks while we waited for Annie. It had the same basic structure as our house, only the decorations were strictly ocean-themed. I figured it was a District Four thing. There were pictures of Annie and her family all along the walls, and a few here and there of Finnick. One of the frames had a picture of Annie and Finnick as kids, and I felt a knot rise up in my throat.

"Katniss, Peeta! I'm so glad you came!" a voice said from behind us. Peeta and I instantly turned around to see Annie approaching us, her arms holding her baby.

_ **Peeta** _

"It's good to see you too, Annie! How are you and baby Finn?" I asked politely as she sat on the couch in front of us. She looked extremely weary, and there was a sadness tinted in her eyes, but there was also love and happiness reflected in the way she looked at her child.

"We're doing well, thank you; my mother is helping me out with Finn. Would you like to hold him?" she asked as Mrs. Cresta came back with a tray of fresh drinks and set them on the coffee table in front of us while she took a seat beside Annie.

"Why yes, I would love to," I responded enthusiastically. Annie went up to me and handed me the baby, while Katniss scooted closer to me so she that could see him too.

Finn would be the spitting image of his father. His bronze-colored hair and sea-green eyes assured me of that, and Katniss seemed to agree with me, for she told Annie this, and Annie nodded in agreement. I thought of this as I gently held his small, warm, fragile body in my arms, almost afraid that I would break him. I smiled as he wrapped his tiny fingers around my pinkie. My heart burst with the tenderness that he instilled upon me. I kissed his forehead lovingly. I wanted to be a father so badly. I felt sorry for Finnick, who was never able to hold his child, and I wondered if the same would happen to me. Katniss studied me cautiously and asked if she could hold him next, so I handed him over to her carefully.

She took the baby and wrapped him in her arms, holding him close to her chest as he regarded her with curiosity. She stroked his red curls as I made cooing noises at him. Katniss grinned and rolled her eyes at me playfully. This was my fascination for the day. Annie and her mother chuckled.

"So I know you two got married recently, congratulations, I'm sorry I couldn't come to your wedding," Annie apologized.

"Me too, I would have loved to go, though." Mrs. Cresta said.

"Thanks, and don't worry, we understand," I assured her as I tore my gaze away from Finn.

"Yes, we knew you couldn't travel, since you've just had your baby," Katniss added as she looked up at her. "He's very precious, by the way," she said as she handed him back to her mother.

"Thank you," Annie smiled kindly at Katniss as she sat back down. "So how's your honeymoon so far? Are you two enjoying District Four?"

"Actually, we just got here, so you're welcome to suggest any ideas on what places we should visit," I replied.

"We've only been to the hotel, and people stared at us, so I don't know if we'll be able to stay long; I don't want cameras to start following us everywhere," Katniss admitted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, well don't let them ruin it for you! Finnick and I were always stared at, but the cameras never really caught up with us much; we knew where they couldn't follow us. I know a place in the beach where you could go and see the sunset, and there aren't any tourists there. I also know a really good local restaurant that you could go to, and they're very discreet there, but everywhere else worth seeing is full of tourists," she explained.

Katniss and I nodded as Annie and Mrs. Cresta gave us directions to the locations and how to get around the city, as well as which places to avoid. We listened patiently as we sipped our ice teas, and soon afterwards, we thanked them and left. We agreed to stay in touch and as we said our good-byes.

"Well, that was a nice visit," I commented cheerfully as we headed towards the place in the beach that Annie had told us about. It wasn't too far from her house, so we walked there, hand-in-hand. It was a beautiful day, and I felt lighthearted and happy when I thought about the fact that I was spending a honeymoon with my wife. It was almost too good to be true. I exhaled dreamily.

Katniss squeezed my hand in response. "Yes, it's good to see Annie with her baby," she agreed. "I saw the way you looked at baby Finn. Anyone would wonder if you're the father," she teased.

I turned to look at her. "Well, what can I say, I love children," I said defensively, but lightly.

"I know," she sighed, her eyes averting my gaze.

I then stopped abruptly and stood in front of her, my hand tilting her chin delicately so that she could meet my eyes while my other hand held on to hers. "I know what you're thinking, and I know that you already said no. But please remember that I'll always be here, and that I'll always love you, no matter what you decide. I don't want to have children if they're not with you, do you understand? You're the only woman I'll ever love, and you're the only woman who can have my children." I said firmly. "So at least take it into consideration, even if you're not sure yet," I pleaded.

Her gray eyes bore into me with sadness. "I don't know, Peeta. I can't guarantee you anything; I wish I could, but I can't. I can't bring a child into this awful world, with two traumatized parents. I know you would be a wonderful parent, but I can't say the same thing about myself. I don't know if I'll be able to love it. Even if I somehow manage to have it, I may end up being a terrible mother," she argued desperately. "You do understand that, don't you?"

"Katniss, we've already discussed this. You  _won't_  be a terrible mother. So just stop saying that, okay? I know you'll love our children as fiercely as you loved Prim. And I'll help you take care of them and protect them so that nothing bad ever happens to them. We'll be fine; I know we can do this. We'll take turns taking care of them when the other of us can't. I know that right know you're thinking of Finn not having his father, and Annie not being completely stable, but I know he'll be fine, because he has others that will love him and take care of him when Annie can't. And so will our children," I assured her passionately.

"You really think so?" she whispered, unconvinced.

"I know so," I said as I bent down to kiss her lips. "What do you say?"

"I say maybe someday, but I can't assure you it will happen," she replied.

I beamed at her. "Well, that's hope enough for me," I said. "Come, we're almost there, and the sun will set soon," I encouraged her as I pulled her along with me so that we could get to the place that Annie had pointed out.

Soon, we arrived at a partially hidden area that was surrounded by small sand dunes and grasses, and in the middle was a clear place where we could sit and watch the ocean as we listened to the waves roaring in and out of the shore. The sun was finally beginning to set. I held Katniss close to me, allowing her to sit in between my legs as I wrapped my arms around her and inhaled her forest-scented hair. We then watched silently as the red-orange sun dipped slowly beneath the water and the horizon, as if afraid that its flames would extinguish in the endless ocean. I almost couldn't believe that there had been a time in which I had forgotten that this was my favorite color. My hands longed for a brush to paint over a canvass. It was the most scenic view, and I was with the most stunning woman: the girl on fire. Her beauty and blaze rivaled that of the sun's. I told her this, and she laughed; and I couldn't be upset at her, because her warm, throaty laughter was a sound I cherished. I kissed her cheek and held her tighter. Right now, I could pretend that everything was perfect, freeze this moment forever, and burn it into my memory with her ardent flame.

_ **Katniss** _

I watched in awe as the sunset turned the ocean gold. I knew Peeta would want to paint this as soon as we arrived home. Everything was bathed in sunset orange: the sky, the sun, the sea. I breathed him in as he kissed my cheek, my neck, my shoulder. Here, in this place, we could pretend that we were just a normal, happy couple enjoying their honeymoon, just two young people in love. Here, I could pretend that everything was fine, and that I was just a beautiful woman being loved by a strong man. The sun was gone all too soon, and before I knew it, the stars had stitched a dark blue blanket above us.

"I love you, Katniss," Peeta whispered as he lay above me and continued to kiss me wherever he could.

"I love you too, Peeta," I murmured against his lips, and I pulled him closer to me. There was no one in sight, and I sighed as he began to remove my clothes slowly, his hands running up my thighs and then peeling off my dress as he finally pulled it over my head. I yanked up his shirt in response discarded it as I ran my hands through his muscular bare chest. My fingertips traced a scar on his left shoulder, and another one by his right rib. He then unhitched my bra and gradually led his hands towards my chest, cupping my bare breasts. I gasped in pleasure and then unlatched his belt so that I could pull down his pants. He soon slid out of them completely and we took off our shoes so that we could tangle our feet together. The soft sand itched slightly against my back, and Peeta arranged our clothes so that we could lay on them.

He then went back to fondling my breasts, kissing them and teasing them with his tongue and hands, my nipples hardening against his mouth and probing fingers. I moaned and my hands reached down to tug at the waistband his boxers, the cotton sliding down his legs easily. I could feel his excitement brush against my thigh, and his hand slid down to pull off my panties. Heat surged through my veins, and the ravishing hunger came back again, fueling the fire that was in me.

His fingers slid in to check if I was ready, and I clutched his wrist and pulled his hand aside. He was torturing me. "Just do it, Peeta, I can't wait any longer," I groaned.

He smirked, but propped my legs open so that he could have more room. He then adjusts himself and lowers his body slowly inside me as I my body molds to fit his shape, and I raise my hips to meet his as he begins to move. He groans slightly as he thrusts and I wrap my legs around his waist so that he moans as he falls deeper inside me. I kiss him and curl my fingers around his soft, blonde hair. A low rumble escapes from his throat as I urge him with my hips to go faster. He picks up the pace and the pit of my stomach begins to burn.

He interlocks his fingers with mine as he whispers sweet nothings into my ear, things that only I could ever hear, and I knew then that this was a Peeta that could only belong to me. My muscles tighten as he finds his release, and I call out his name at the same time that he implores mine, because I climax too. Our bodies are now soaked where we're joined, but we could care less, and I hold him tight as he collapses on top of me. I fall asleep, and the only thing I can remember is his voice whispering the words  _love,_ and  _always,_ over and over again…


	6. Peeta

_ **Katniss** _

Our honeymoon ended up lasting a little longer than we intended it to, but we eventually arrived home to District Twelve. Peeta was anxious to get to his studio, saying that he had to paint something for me. This was due to the fact that it was Valentine's Day, and Peeta had to have his surprise ready for me when I entered his studio.

"Look Katniss, I painted us, just as I promised," he said excitedly as he turned to me while I approached him. He pointed at the large canvas in front of him, and I could tell that he had just finished painting it, for the paint was still fresh.

I gasped. There was a mass of colors, purples and blues, and the occasional sunset orange. But it was just us. It was him and me, overlapped against each other to the point where I couldn't tell where one body ended and the other began. And yet, as I looked closer, I could see the dandelion in the spring and the sunset dipping below us. I didn't know how to describe it. It was the color of love. It was his lips pressing against my throat, it was my eyes closed as I sighed and took him in. It was absolutely enthralling; it was enchantingly beautiful. Tears threatened to escape from my eyes.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Oh, Peeta…I love it." I said honestly, not knowing what else to say.

"Really? You don't think it's too much?" he looked at me hopefully.

"Not at all, I think it's lovely. What do you call it?" I asked, wondering if he even named his paintings.

"It's called 'Making Love,'" he stated simply. I blushed; of course it was. What else could it be?

"Where are you going to put it?" I couldn't help but wonder. Surely he wouldn't place it in our bedroom, although I wouldn't put it past Peeta to hang it there as inspiration.

"I'll leave it here in my studio, with all of my other paintings, I guess…but this one is yours. Where do you want me to put it?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged. "Wherever you want is fine with me. Just as long you don't hang it above our bed or anything. I think that would be a little too much," I admitted.

He grinned. "But who else would see it? I mean, we're the only ones who go in there anyway. I think it would look perfect there." And that was that. He took the painting and headed to our bedroom as I ran after him, instantly regretting my words. I had given him the idea. I should never have opened my mouth.

"Peeta, you can't be serious!" I complained as he hammered a nail into the wall above our bed. But it was too late. He was already hanging it, and the paint was already drying. The portrait would stay there forever, and anyone who came into our bedroom would blush and wish they had never come in. I slapped my palm against my forehead in exasperation. It just had to be Valentine's Day.

_ **Peeta** _

I had baked Katniss a pink heart-shaped Valentine's cake for dessert, and some cheese buns to go along with our dinner. "Peeta, you're the corniest husband in all of Panem," she informed me when she saw the cake. I chuckled as I allowed her to cut it into slices, telling her that she was breaking my heart. She frowned at me. "Peeta, will you stop it with the bread puns already?"

"Katniss, at yeast look at me!" I joked. She rolled her eyes, but I could tell that she was enjoying the cake anyway. "Maybe I can teach you how to bake some more cheese buns after this, so that we can eat them tomorrow," I suggested. She considered that for a minute.

"Is it easy?" she questioned.

"Sure it is. I'll get the dough ready," I said as I put up our plates and cleared the table so that we could knead the dough on it. Soon, we were in our aprons with dough high up to our elbows, because Katniss was making a huge mess.

"Oh, Katniss, here, let me do it," I laughed as she tried to clean herself up, only achieving in making a bigger mess.

"I give up!" she groaned.

"Katniss, this is a child's recipe! They're one of the first breads I learned how to bake! It can't be that difficult," I reasoned patiently.

"Well, it is," she said stubbornly. I shook my head as I finished up and placed the bread in the oven and set the timer.

"That's okay; I have other surprises for you. I bought you some chocolate hearts and some roses, but we'll have to go upstairs to get them," I winked at her.

She shook her head knowingly. "Oh, I know what you're up to now," she said as she re-attempted to knead more dough. I sneaked up behind her and slid my arms around her, encompassing her hands in mine as I taught her how to do it.

"Do you?" I whispered in her ear as our hands kneaded the dough together. She shivered slightly against me, and I knew it was too hot in the kitchen for it to have been of cold. I then proceeded to kiss the space behind her ear, then her neck, then her collar…she turned around and kissed me full on the lips. And that's when I lost it, but not in the way that I expected. Images flashed through my head as I gripped her too tightly, and I fought against them. No! This couldn't be happening now…not now that we were finally happy, and I was ruining it, I was hurting her, and I couldn't stop it. I felt like I hated her.

_ **Katniss** _

Peeta was having a flashback, and I fought to release myself from his death grip, afraid that he would try to strangle me again. "Peeta, stop, please, you're hurting me!" I exclaimed. His blue eyes flashed angrily, but I finally released myself, and I clutched his head around my hands as I made him look directly at me. "Peeta, stay with me." I enunciated each word slowly and carefully as betraying tears ran down my cheeks. Before I knew it, he was crying too.

"Always," he murmured at last, and then backed away from me warily.

"Peeta, come here," I said firmly as I pressed myself against his chest. The oven beeped and he mumbled an excuse to take the cheese buns out of the oven and he placed them on the counter to cool. I crossed my arms and turned to him expectantly. "I thought you said you had more surprises for me," I told him.

He hesitated. "I don't know Katniss. I don't want to hurt you again. I'm afraid of what I'll do next." He averted my gaze.

"Well, that's too bad, because I'm not. I trust you, Peeta, and I know you'll come back to me each time no matter what. You can't just avoid me every time you get sick, just like I can't avoid you every time I fall into a depression. That's not what this relationship is about. We're married now, Peeta, and we have to work things out together," I pointed out.

He finally met my eyes warily and nodded. "You're right. Let's go upstairs…I'll show you what I got you," he said softly. He took my hand and I followed him up to our bedroom. He then opened the door and led me inside as he shyly handed me a box of chocolates and some dandelions. I couldn't help but smile. He looked like a five-year-old boy handing his secret crush a love note.

"This is actually what I've wanted to get you every Valentine's Day since I was five," he admitted, as if reading my thoughts. "I just figured you should know." So I kissed him, and I finally knew.

_ **Peeta** _

"Make love to me, Peeta," she demanded. I looked at her in surprise, for she had never been so straightforward; but she was looking up at the portrait I had drawn of us as she tossed me down on the bed. She landed on top of me as I lay on my back. "Make me yours like you did in that painting," she whispered against my lips as she rubbed her leg against my thigh. And that was all that it took. I gave in and my instincts took over; whatever she wanted from me, it was hers and hers only. I flipped her over so that she was now underneath me as I adjusted my bad leg, her dark hair forming a brown halo above the covers. I ran my fingers through her heavenly soft hair, and she pulled my shirt over my head. I did the same for her as we continued to undress each other deliberately slowly, exploring every inch of newly exposed flesh until we were completely undressed beneath the covers. I planted chaste kisses over every part of her skin, convinced that I had never been this thorough.

She then brought my face up to her mouth again; she was now holding a piece of chocolate in between her teeth, and I took a bite out of it, and chuckled. I kissed her again, and everything tasted like sugar. She told me that there was always something sweet in my hands as she kissed my fingertips, and her gray eyes shone brighter than the stars against the velvet sky. She pressed me closer as I finally entered her, and she sighed and repeated my name over and over again as we began to rise and fall into a steady rhythm. "I'll always love you, Katniss," I murmured into her ear. I continued whispering sweet words, telling her how madly in love I was with her, until we hit a crescendo and I found my release. The only thing that she seemed to be able to say was my name, and so I lay my head on her chest as I listened to her steady heartbeat lull me to sleep as she caressed my sweaty hair. I wanted to lie like this forever.

"I love you, Peeta," she finally whispered.

"I know; this is real," was the last thing I said before I lost consciousness.

_ **Katniss** _

It happened every year on Valentine's Day. He would paint me a portrait and gift me with chocolates and dandelions and bake me pastries. Of course, we didn't always do the same things, for he would always make it unique and special, and sometimes I would come up with my own gifts. There were times in which I would sing to him, or hum lullabies after making love to him. Other times, I would make a special catch and cook him a special dinner. I would talk Haymitch into helping me find him a present. But it was on the fifteenth year that I finally gave in and gave him what he had wanted for so long. I gave him a child.

It turned out to be the most difficult, yet most wonderful thing I had ever done for him. I kept telling myself that it was all for him, because I loved him so much. It wasn't until I had her, Adara, and looked into her deep blue eyes that something in my heart told me that I would love my child just as fiercely. Peeta had never been so happy, and a few years later we had a son, Orion. Being pregnant and giving birth had been excruciatingly difficult, but it had been worth it. I had Peeta's children, and I was able to love them and keep them safe and happy. Every day was a struggle, but I always remembered the immense amount of compassion that I saw in little acts kindness, and that kept going. That, and love, love for my husband, and for my children. Love for humanity and life. It was something that the hunger games would never take away from me, from us.

But Peeta and I still made love beneath the passionate portrait that he had painted for me on our first Valentine's Day….for some things would always be real.

_**The End** _


End file.
